Creating Job Search Materials Employers often consider tens

Creating Job Search Materials Employers often consider tens or even hundreds of candidates for every job opening. • Your resume is the most important job search document. It is a written summary of your work-related skills, experience, and education. • A cover letter is sent along with your resume. It introduces you to a potential employer and highlights the qualities that make you suitable for the position. • A list of references includes the names and contact information of people who know you and your qualifications, and who are willing to speak about you to potential employers. 13 1

Preparing Your Job Search Materials • A cover letter should be short and to the point. Customize it to the job opening for which you are applying. • A reference is someone who knows you well and is willing to speak to employers about your qualifications. • Create a reference list to include in your career portfolio, and have it available for employers when they ask. – Select at least three people, and ask them for permission to use them as a reference. • Everyone looking for work should keep a career portfolio for storing documents such as a resume, cover letter, personal data sheet, and list of references. 13 2

Your Job Search Portfolio • A portfolio that includes samples of your current work is an important part of your job search materials if you are looking for a position in a creative career. • Keep your job search materials organized in a folder or binder will help you follow up every possibility: – Keep a to-do list of tasks you want to accomplish each day, such as people you want to contact, resumes you have to send out, and thank-you notes to write. – Contact some people in your network every day. – Follow up on all leads. – Set up folders for storing documents that relate to your job search. 13 3

Preparing a Resume A resume is a document that provides a snapshot image of your qualifications. It summarizes you, your skills, and your abilities. It is a statement of who you are, what you have done in your life, and what you hope to do next. Your resume may be the first communication between you and a potential employer. • You want your resume to describe you in a way that makes the employer want to meet you. • There are many ways to organize or format a resume. Choose a format that highlights your experience and skills so they stand out to someone glancing at it quickly. • Sometimes you will mail your resume in an envelope with a cover letter. Other times you will send it electronically by e-mail. 13 4

Organizing Your Resume • A typical resume has four main sections: – Contact information – Objective – Education – Work experience • You may also include a Skills section for listing jobs skills and a Personal Information section that lists extracurricular activities, awards, and honors. • Action words are verbs that describe your actions in a way that makes them stand out to the reader. When you use action words to describe your responsibilities and skills in a cover letter or on your resume, it will bring your actions to life. 13 5

Resume Dos and Don’ts Yes or No? The Real Story One good resume is enough for every situation. You have to develop different resumes, and target them to each type of work within a specific organization. If your resume shows you’re willing to work hard, you’ll impress the employer. You need to show the employer that you can help make business successful. For example, if you’re applying for retail job, let the employer know you give great service. List your skills clearly. Fine – but you need to focus on the needs of the company, and show your skills can help them. Put in everything you’ve done that sounds good. Put in only what would interest the employer you’re trying to reach. Keep your resume to one to two pages. Don’t pad it! The name of the game is to make yourself sound as good as possible. Talk everything up. Not really. Employers want the plain, unvarnished facts. Don’t exaggerate, and don’t pretend you’ve done things yo haven’t. It the information that counts. Correct-but appearances count too. Most employers won’t look at a resume that’s handwritten or sloppy, has misspellings, is printed on coloured paper, or has strange-looking fonts. Employers read resumes carefully. Unfortunately, no. Most employers scan a resume in 10 to 20 seconds.

Resume Types Chronological Functional Advantage: You can demonstrate, at a glance, a summary of your education and experience. Some career specialists believe that employers prefer this format. Advantage: You can highlight your special skills and any awards and achievements that come from work, volunteer or school experience. Disadvantage: You don’t have a place to indicate your skills and qualifications up front. Disadvantage: You have to back up your list of skills and qualifications with education, work or volunteer experiences. You can’t just list skills you believe you have without demonstrating how you got them. Structure: • Starts off with a job objective or a personal profile • Groups education, work, and volunteer experiences and lists items in reverse chronological order. • May include a section on awards and accomplishments • Provides information on interests • Provides references Structure: • Starts off with a job objective • List of skills and/or achievements that support the objective • Groups education, work and volunteer experiences and lists items in reverse chronological order • Provides information on interest • Provides references

example of chronological resume Dana Pareau 2256 Main Street Anywhere, Ontario K 9 Q 2 P 2 613 555 -1234 dana@internet. com Personal Profile Employment History 2010 -2012 Volunteer Experience 2011 -present I am an enthusiastic, energetic person who enjoys sports and coaching children. I’ve also had two years' experience on my school’s basketball team. Newspaper carrier * Collated 3 to 5 sections of the newspaper for delivery * Served 75 homes daily * Collected cash and provided receipts for 75 customers Sports Program, Community Centre * 45 hours as assistant coach for junior soccer team * 10 hours helping at Sports Registration Day Education completing grade 10 Monroe High School Awards Received 2011 Top Newspaper Delivery Certificate Interests Exploring the Internet, playing basketball, reading References available upon requests.

example of functional resume Dana Pareau 2256 Main Street Anywhere, Ontario K 9 Q 2 P 2 613 555 -1234 dana@internet. com Job Objective To use my strong interpersonal skills in a sales clerk position Highlights of Qualifications * Reliable daily newspaper delivery to 75 customers * Internet and computer skills * Excellent School attendance record Accomplishments and Awards * Received 2011 Top Newspaper Delivery Certificate * Sold 300 tickets for class play and handled all cash transactions Employment History 2010 -2012 Volunteer Experience 2011 -present Newspaper carrier * Collated 3 to 5 sections of the newspaper for delivery * Served 75 homes daily * Collected cash and provided receipts for 75 customers Sports Program, Community Centre * 45 hours as assistant coach for junior soccer team * 10 hours helping at Sports Registration Day Education completing grade 10 Monroe High School Interests Exploring the Internet, playing basketball, reading References available upon requests.

Activity #1 Decide on whether you want to use a chronological or functional resume. Then prepare a hand written draft of your resume that you can use to apply for a summer job this July. Review it and once you are happy with it, type it up and submit for evaluation.

Example of a cover letter to apply to video game store manager Make sure you put in your complete address and all the ways you can be contacted Dana Pareau 2256 Main Street Anywhere, Ontario K 9 Q 2 P 2 613 555 -1234 dana@internet. com Date June 15, 2013 Address the letter to the right person and make sure the name, title and address are accurate Ms Jeannette Lincoln, Manager Winners Videos Games Anywhere, Ontario K 9 Q 3 Z 8 Salutations Dear Ms Lincoln: First paragraph • State why you are writing • State the position applied for • Make a general comment about the company I am responding to the ad in the Tribune for a full-time video game sales clerk at the Stanwell Shopping Centre. I have often purchased games from Winners Videos Games at the Heron Mall and always been impressed by the quality of service I found there.

Example of a cover letter to apply to video game store manager Second paragraph • State you academic qualifications, if needed • Match your skills with those require for the job • Highlight experience relevant to the job As a long-time newspaper deliverer, I know how important it is to be reliable and on time, and handle cash carefully. In addition, I am an avid video game player and knowledgeable about many different game titles. I believe that I have excellent qualifications for your position. Third paragraph • Request action • Say you will follow up (and try to do so) I have attached my résumé for your consideration. If I haven’t heard from you by June 30, I will call to follow up. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. Closing Yours sincerely, Dana Pareau

Activity #2 Prepare a hand written draft of your cover letter that will accompany the resume you prepared in Activity #1. Review it and once you are happy with it, type it up and submit for evaluation.

Applying for a Job • Applying means that you present yourself as a candidate for the position. • Applying usually starts with sending in your resume and a cover letter. • When you apply for a job, your short-term goal is to get invited for an interview. • A job application is a standard form you fill out when you apply for a job. You might fill it out in person or online. • A personal information card holds the information you might need to fill out a job application accurately. You may want to store the information in your cell phone or handheld device. 13 14

Interviewing for a Job A job interview is a formal meeting between a job seeker and a potential employer. • A job interview is like a test—if you pass, you are offered the job. • Use these four steps to prepare for a job interview: 1. Research the company or organization where you are going for the interview. 2. Make a list of questions an interviewer might ask you 3. Prepare answers to the questions and be specific. 4. Make a list of five to ten questions you can ask the interviewer. • Practice for the interview by rehearsing your behavior and answers to questions helps give you confidence. 13 15

Preparing for a Job Interview • To best use the interview time to get a job offer: – Dress neatly and professionally. – Be clean. – Arrive ten minutes early. – Be polite and respectful to everyone you meet. – Shake hands with your interviewer when you arrive, and before you leave. – Listen carefully, using positive body language. – Use proper English when you speak; no slang. – Avoid chewing gum, cell phone calls, and texting. – At the end of the interview, shake hands again, and thank the interviewer. 13 16

After the Interview • Telephone interviews are used to screen, or make a first decision about, potential employees. • After the interview, write a thank-you note to the interviewer. • Follow up the interview by a call or an e-mail. • Being called back for a second interview means you passed the first test. • If you are offered the job, make sure you have all the information you need to make the best decision. Use the decision-making process to decide whether to accept the position or not. • If you do not get a job offer, it may be helpful if the interviewer can explain why you were not selected. 13 17

Activity #3 • Working in pairs you will prepare a mock job interview skit and act it out. • Jobs will be random chosen • One person will be the interviewer, the other the interviewee. Prepare appropriate interview questions (open and closed) and the responses. • The skit will be 3 -5 minutes long

Evaluating a Job Offer Employment needs range from compensation, or wages and benefits, to recognition; from training to accommodations for disabilities. • The most important consideration when evaluating a job offer is usually the monetary compensation. – Base pay is the hourly wage or annual salary that you earn. – A commission is a payment based on a percentage of sales. – A bonus is a lump sum paid in addition to base pay. • Make a budget to identify expenses to know how much income you need. • Benefits are things other than wages that have value. Most companies offer some benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, vacation time, and so on. 13 19